Light-based communication messaging, such as visible light communication (VLC), involves the transmission of information through modulation of the light intensity of a light device (e.g., the modulation of the light intensity of one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs)). Generally, visible light communication is achieved by transmitting, from a light device such as an LED or laser diode (LD), a modulated visible light signal, and receiving and processing the modulated visible light signal at a receiver (e.g., a mobile device) that includes a photo detector (PD) or array of PDs (e.g., a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (such as a camera)).
Light-based communication messaging may be used to facilitate location determination for a mobile device. For example, by decoding a codeword (identifier) encoded in a captured light-based communication, the light device that transmitted the light-based communication, and thus, the location of the light device, can be determined. Based on the identified light device, which may be associated with a known position, the position (coordinates and/or orientation of the mobile device relative to the light device) may be derived. In some situations, location determination for a mobile device, based on light-based communication and/or RF signals from wireless devices may result in multiple possible position solutions. For example, in a VLC positioning system, the number of unique fixture identifiers (light devices, wireless devices/nodes, etc.) may be limited (e.g., to around a few thousand). However, in large venues, such as office buildings, there may be more than a few thousand fixtures. In another example, a mobile device may be able to decode only part of a codeword (due to the device's distance and angle from the transmitting light device), with that partially decoded codeword matching several possible identifiers (although, in some situations, the entire codeword may be decoded if additional samples, taken over further time intervals, are obtained, decoding the complete codeword may take too long to be practical). Consequently, there may be an ambiguity (e.g., multiple possible locations) when attempting to determine a position a mobile device based upon signals/communications from devices (e.g., light devices).